Steam injector



' March '19, 1929 R, G, BROOKE 1,706,346

STEAM INJECTOR Fild April 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l 'fiyrf.

In Van tor" March 19, 1929. a, BROOKE 1,706,346

- STEAM INJECTOR Filed April 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 3 lfz rent-or ram mm Patented Mar. 19, 1929.

U rr srAr s r 1,706,346 PATENT: orr ce.

ROBERT GBUNDY escor s, or -MACCLESFIELID, NGLAN ASSIGNORTOHOLDEN & BROOKE LIMITED, or MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

. STEAM INJECTOR.

Application filed April 3, 1926. Serial No. 99,578.

This invention relates to injectors and more particularly to those of a character permitting the automatic substitution of a supply of steam from one source for a supply of steam from another source if or when the first supply fails or is interrupted.

An important object of the invention is to provide simple and efi'ective injector means for use on locomotives for example, whereby continuity of operation andthe utilization of exhaust steam will not be interrupted when the locomotives stop, live steam being em ployed to hold the steam-exhaust valve closed.

Another object is to provide a simple change-over valve arrangement automatically responsive to alteration in relationship existing between a source of high pressure steam and a source of exhaust steam upon starting the injector.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide for the automatic closing by steam pressure of a self-opening valve through which exhaust steam may enterthe injector, either when the supply of exhaust steamis-interrupted, or when the injector is not working,

- and also upon the occurrence-of both ofthese circumstances together, in; order to prevent entry of air, throbbing of the valve or both.

The invention is particularly adapted to injectors which, in addition tov anexhaust supply also have a supplementary live-steam supply.

In the illustrative drawings, one form of construction and arrangement or combination of parts of an apparatus embodying the invention is shown and the invention will be best understood upon further description with reference to said drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of'the injector apparatus taken on the line 1'1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a section thereof taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section of part of the injector taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

V Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1; and v Fig. 5 is a sectional view of that part of an injector body to which the fitting of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is attached.

In said drawings, the numeral 10, in Fig. 5, denotes a well known constructional form of injector body, havingan exhaust steam inlet 11 and an internal branch 12 through which live steam is supplied. This live steam and the exhaust steam flowing through the space 13 around the branch 12 respectively enter the usual live and exhaust steam cones,which latter are not illustrated because they form no part per se of'the present invention but may bethe same as those of the injector forming the subject ofmy U. S. Patent No. 1,546,? 12. The numeral 14 denotes a valve adapted to openin the direction of flow of the exhaust steam, said valve being shown with an arm 15 extending into a gap 16' ina rod 17; One end 18 of this rod, which is reduced and shouldered at 19, works in a guide 20, an encircling spring 21 being provided to react noon the rod through a disc22 engaging the a 'oresaid shouldered part thereof. The other end 23 of the rod which is likewise reduced and shouldered, is secured to a piston 24 adapted to work in acylinder 25. Steam which is admitted to this cylinder behind the piston 24 through the pipe 26, straight passage 27 annular passage 28and port 29, will. cause the valve 14 to be closed as hereinafter explained.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, a body 30 is shown formed with ahigh pressure steam inlet 31 and two branches 32, 33, the branch 32 having communica'tion with. an inlet 32 for the branch 12 of Fig. 5 and the branch 33 having commu nication with an inlet 33 in the exhaust steam space 33 of Fig. 5. The numeral-34 denotes a starting valve controlling communication between the steam inlet 31'and a chamber 32 from which the branch 32 extends, and 35 represents the seat for such valve. Chamber '32" is shown separated from another chamber 35 forming part of the branch by a valve 36, the stem 37 of which has a lost-m0- 'tion connection with a piston 38' inserted in the cylindrical part 39-through the end closed by a removable plug 40.

Chamber 32 is open through a narrow passage 41, (see Figz4) to a chamber 42 communicating with cylinder 39 through a passage 43. s A stem 44 having a tapered valve-end 44 controls this pasage 43, being itself attached to a piston 45 arranged in a cylinder one side 46 of which is exposed to the atmosphere through a drip and leakage outlet 47, while its other side 48 is acted upon by exhaust steam supplied through a pipe 49.

The chamber 35 is connected through av passage 50 with a housing 51 adapted to refrom the housing 51 to an annular passage 54 communicating through a passage with the pipe 26 previously described as connected to the cylinder 25 of Fig. 5.

The numeral'iifi represents a cock which can be operated by hand to close the passage 55 when desired, being located either as shown or at any other suitable point such as in the pipe 26. p

In addition to the foregoing details, a passage 5'7 is shown, which is closed when the valve 34 is fully open to engage a seat 34 as in Fig. 2, but open when said valve is closed as in Fig. 3. Said passage is provided for a purpose to be hereinafter explained.

A connection 58 is represented (see Fig. 2) by which steam can be taken from branch 32 to open the water valve of the injector for eX- ample in the manner described in my atore said patent, although it can be taken from any other suitable point.

The operation of the device or apparatus is as follows:

Assuming the injector is fitted to a locomotive and the engine is running, then the piston 45(see Fig. 1) will be subject to the pressure of exhaust steam through pipe 49. It the injectoris not working, i. e., the-valve 34 is closed, then high pressure steam "from inlet 31 can find access only through passages 57,

55, 54 and pipe 26 to the piston 24 (see Fig. 5) by which means the steam is utilized to hold the valve 14 closed, thereby preventing said valve from banging about due to the exhaust beats. However, this is an auxiliary feature as already explained and may be dispensed with if desired. r

The injector is entirely controlled in starting and stopping by the valve 34, which at starting must be screwed or held back agalnst the seat 34 so as to close the passage 57 The valve 14 is then free to open or not, de-, pending upon whether or not pressure fluid can pass by way of passage 50, that is, whether the injector is working on exhaust or live steam. Still assuming the locomotive is running and that exhaust steam is available, the openingot the valve 34 will result in high pressure steam passing from inlet 31 through chamber 32" and the branch 32 to the inlet 32 of the branch 12 of Fig. 5, steam at the same time being conducted from the outlet 58 (see Fig. 2) for operation of the water valve. This starting of the injector also causes steam from the chamber 32 to pass through passage 41 (see Fig. 4) into the chamber 42, the outlet passage 43 from which to the cylinder 39 is closed by the valve 44. The parts will accordingly occupy the position shown in Fig. 1. The passage 57 being closed (due to the'openingoi the valve 34 and holding its reverse face onto the seat 34), steam to the cylinder 25 of Fig. 5 is cut oil and the exhaust steam valve 14- is opened,

- the pring 21 then holding the piston 24 up.

So long as exhaust steam is available and the valve 44 closes the passage 43,. valve 36 remains seated and high pressure steam from the chamber 32 cannot pass to chamber 35 However, shouldexhaust steam be not available, or should it drop in pressure to a predetermined value while the injector is working, and the valve 44 is consequently moved from its seat due to the full boiler pressure acting upon the unbalanced area. of the valve 44, then the piston 33 will rapidly move under the high pressure steam. The first part 01"" this movement is an idle one so that mementum is gained, after which the stem ofthe valve 36 is engaged. The area. of the piston 38 exposed to full boiler pressure being in excess of the area of the valveBG, the latter is thus forcibly liftedor opened to permit steam to enter the chamber 35 and thence through branch 33 for delivery to the exhaust steam chamber 33 by way of the inlet 33, in which chamber 33"'expansion takes place. At the same time, steam from chamber 3" passes through passage 50, nonreturn valve housing 51, passages 53, 54 and 55 to pipe 26. Accordingly the valve 14 is thus again positively closed to prevent the possible waste of live steam or of entry of air into the injector through the exhaust steam inlet 11 when the engine is not working. When valve 34 is closed, the non-return valve 52 will prevent steam passing to chamber 35 v through passage 50 but it stillpasses to piston 24 and keeps valve 14 closed.

When the engine or locomotive is left standing for long spells, it may at-times be desirable to arrest passage of steam to the cylin der 25 which can then be done by means of the cock 56 (see Fig. 2);

What I claimis:

1. In a steam injector, a body having a branch adapted to be supplied with steam of one pressure and inlets through which steam of lower pressure can be supplied, valve controlling one of such inlets mechanically held in open position in the direction of steam flow through said inlet and means subject to the steam 01 higher pressure admitted automatically when the injector is not working adapted to hold such valve closed.

2. In a steam injector, a fitting comprising a body having a steam inlet branch and two steam outlet branches, a valve adapted to interrupt flow of steam through one of said outlet branches while leaving the other uninterrupted, a steam actuated piston moving in a cylinder for operating said valve, a control valve adapted when open to admit steam for direct delivery through the uninterrupted outlet branch and for directly maintaining the interrupting valve in the other outlet branch closed, and separate means including another valve differentially responsive to pressure of steam that passes the control valve and to steam from a source of lower pressure,

whereby when the source of low pressure fails or falls below a predetermined value, the valve in the normally interrupted outlet branch aforesaid is opened.

3. In a steam injector embodying a fitting having a live steam inlet and two live steam outlets, a control valve between the inlet and both outlets, a valve in one such outlet, a piston having a lost motion connection with said valve adapted to open the latter, a cylinder in which said piston works, a chamber in constant communication with the live steam inlet when the control valve is open and connected by a passage to the cylinder aforesaid, an obturating valve in said chamber adapted to be moved bypressure of steam therein to open the passage and allow steam from the inlet to displace the piston and open the valve associated with it, a cylinder to which exhaust steam is supplied and a piston in such cylinder exposed on one face to said exhaust steam pressure and connected to the obturating valve which it holds closed until the exhaust steam fails or falls in pressure belowa predetermined value.

4. In an inj ector, an exhaust steam chamber and attached piping, a valve adapted to admit exhaust steam thereto opening in the same direction asthe flow of such steam therethrough and held in open position by a positive yielding mechanical means, means responsive to live steam and exhaust pressure adapted to effect the closing of said valve, a

chamber adapted to receive live steam arranged within the exhaust chamber, a live steam inlet, a valve controlling said live steam inlet, a branch whereby live steam may directly enter the first named chamber after passing said valve, another branch through which live steam may upon release from its receiving chamber pass to a cylinder within the exhaust steam chamber, the pressure of adapted to effect the closing of said valve when the injector is not working, said lastmentioned means being operable to simultaneously admit auxiliary live steam to the injector and to admit operative steam to the closing means for the exhaust valve.

Signed at Manchester, England, this twenty second day of March 1926.

ROBERT GRUNDY BROOKE. 

